Snowshoe



Feb. 9 1926.

W. FOX

SNOWSHOE Filed Sept 24, 1924 Patented Feb. 9, 1926.

\VILLIAM FOX, OF TACOMA, WASHINGTON.

SNOWSHOE.

\ Application filed September 24, 1924.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM Fox, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Tacoma, county of Pierce, and State of Washington, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Snowshoes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention pertains to snow shoes commonly used to walk on the surface of a deep fall of soft snow, and has for its object to provide a light and rigid form of snow shoe that will enable one to travel more rapidly and with less labor on the snow than with snow shoes now in use.

I attain this object by means of the ole vice illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a top view of my invention; Fig. 2, is a crosswise section of Figure 1 on line 22; and Fig. 3 an enlarged detail section of certain parts hereinafter referred to.

Similar characters refer to similar parts of the several views.

Heretofore snow shoes have been made with a hard wood frame of the desired size and form, reinforced and stayed by cross members, the spaces between being filled with a network of rawhide or suitable fiber strings so knit or interwoven as to make a strong netting to contact the snow and bear the weight of the wearer thereon.

When walking on soft wet snow this netting becomes water soaked, causing the netting to stretch and become flabby. In this condition the netting sags up and down in a way that makes walking laborious and tiresome. lVith my new in'iprovement, I obviate this fault and provide a snow shoe that will always be firm and taut and enable the traveler to walk moreeasil y on any kind of snow.

My invention comprises a snow shoe with a frame and webbing made of light metal, preferably of aluminum, and in form and size similar to the present make of snow shoes.

The outer frame 1 is designed to be made of sheet metal of rounded rectangular form to secure strength and avoid weight. The webbing 2 is of perforated sheet metal with round openings as shown or with square openings as shown at 22, securely brazed to the outer frame 1. The frame and webbing are reinforced and stayed by cross members brazed to the upper and lower sides of the webbing and to the frame 1 at each Serial No. 739,731.

end. These members are designated at 3, 4, 5 and 6 and are made of suitable size and form to resist the strain imposed thereon. The toe space opening 7 is similarly reinforced at its sides 8-8.

The cross members at and 5 are designed for the ball and heel respectively of the foot and are made strong to sustain the weight imposed thereon. They are designed to be equipped with the usual strap and buckle means to secure the foot thereon in a manner common to all snow shoes. i

The openings in the webbing or mesh work may be of any form and distributed at suitable intervals to secure lightness and strength. They also prevent the snow from clinging to the under side of the snow shoe.

In making my newly invented snow shoe I do not limit myself to exact details or proportions but reserve the right to adopt any design, form, proportion or construction that may be found most practicable and suitable to the material used and to the conditions to be met. 0

As an article of manufacture my invention is less expensive than the present form of snow shoes. It is lighter in Weight and the webbing being taut at all times, it can be worn with less labor and fatigue than the present make of snow shoes.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1.. A snow shoe comprising a frame of light metal, a metallic webbing fixed to said frame, so as to fill the inclosure of the frame, and reinforcing cross members brazed to said frame and to said webbing.

2. A snow shoe comprising a frame of light metal, a metallicwebbing fixed to said frame, so as to fill the inclosure of said frame, reinforcing cross members brazed to said frame and to said webbing, and said cross members designed to be equipped with strap and buckle means to secure the foot thereon. g

3. A snow shoe comprising a frame of light metal, a metallic webbing fixed to said frame, so as to fill the inclosure of said frame, reinforcing cross members brazed to said frame and to said webbing, said cross members designedto be equipped with strap and buckle means to secure the foot thereon. and a reinforced opening in said meshwork to allow the foot of the wearer to operate therein.

WVILLIAM FOX. 

